§ 27-26. Registration of domestic partnerships.

(a)

A valid domestic partnership relationship may be registered by any two (2) persons by filing an affidavit of domestic partnership with the county, which affidavit shall comply with all requirements set forth in this article for establishing such domestic partnership. Upon payment of any required fees, the county clerk shall file the affidavit of domestic partnership and issue a certificate and laminated card reflecting the registration of the domestic partnership relationships in the county. The clerk shall maintain or arrange for maintenance of an online searchable database of the domestic partnerships which have been registered with the county.

(b)

An affidavit of domestic partnership shall contain the name and address of each domestic partner, the signature of each partner, the signatures of two (2) witnesses, and each partner shall swear or affirm under penalty of perjury that:

(1)

Each person is at least eighteen (18) years old and competent to contract;

(2)

Neither person is currently married under the laws of any jurisdiction or is a partner in a domestic partnership relationship or a member of civil union with anyone other than the co-applicant;

(3)

They are not related by blood as defined in Florida law;

(4)

Each person considers himself or herself to be a member of the immediate family of the other partner and to be jointly responsible for maintaining and supporting the registered domestic partnership;

(5)

The partners reside in a mutual residence;

(6)

Each person agrees to immediately notify the county clerk, in writing, if the terms of the registered domestic partnership are no longer applicable or one (1) of the domestic partners wishes to terminate the domestic partnership; and

(7)

Each person expressly declares their desire and intent to designate their domestic partner as their healthcare surrogate and as their agent to direct the disposition of their body for funeral and burial.

(c)

Any partner to a domestic partnership may file an amendment to the domestic partnership certificate issued by the county clerk to reflect a change in his or her legal name or address. Amendments shall be signed by both members of the registered domestic partnership under oath.

(Ord. No. 2016-75, § 1, 8-8-16)